| The Railway Series | |
 Map showing the railways on the fictional Island of Sodor |
|
| Author | Rev. W. Awdry Christopher Awdry |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | William Middleton Reginald Payne C. Reginald Dalby John T. Kenney Gunvor Edwards Clive Spong |
| Cover artist | (see illustrators above) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Subject(s) | Railways, and their engines |
| Genre(s) | Children's |
| Publication date | 1945–1972, 1983-1996, 2007 |
The Railway Series is a set of story books about a fictional railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor and the engines that lived on it. Sodor is a fictional island in the Irish Sea used as the setting for The Railway Series books by the Rev Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE, ( 15 June 1911 &ndash 21 March 1997) better known as the Reverend W Christopher Awdry (born 1940 is a British Author best known for his contributions to The Railway Series of books featuring Thomas the Tank Engine William Middleton (or William de Middleton) was a medieval Bishop of Norwich. Clarence Reginald Dalby (1904–1983 born in Leicester, England was the third illustrator of The Railway Series by W John T Kenney (born 1911 died 1972 was an English illustrator who worked on a number of The Railway Series books (also known as the Thomas the Tank Engine stories by Peter and Gunvor Edwards are English/Swedish illustrators who illustrated several of the The Railway Series books by the Rev Clive Spong is an English illustrator of The Railway Series of children's books by the Revd The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Fiction is the telling of stories which are not real More specifically fiction is an imaginative form of Narrative, one of the four basic Rhetorical modes. "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. Sodor is a fictional island in the Irish Sea used as the setting for The Railway Series books by the Rev A locomotive is a railway Vehicle that provides the motive power for a Train. There are currently 41 books in the series, the first being published in 1945. Twenty-six were written by Rev. W. Awdry up to 1972. Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE, ( 15 June 1911 &ndash 21 March 1997) better known as the Reverend W From 1983 to 1996 a further fourteen were written by his son, Christopher Awdry. Christopher Awdry (born 1940 is a British Author best known for his contributions to The Railway Series of books featuring Thomas the Tank Engine Christopher's fifteenth and most recent book, Thomas and Victoria, was released in September 2007.
Nearly all of The Railway Series stories were based upon real-life events. As a lifelong railway enthusiast, Wilbert was keen that his stories should be as realistic as possible. The engine characters were almost all based upon real classes of locomotive, and some of the railways themselves were directly based upon real lines in the British Isles.
The books are now best known as the basis of the children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic
Audio adaptations of The Railway Series have been recorded at various times under the title The Railway Stories. The Railway Stories are a series of audio adaptations of The Railway Series books by the Rev There is also a musical inspired by the Railway Series, Starlight Express. Starlight Express is a Rock musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber (music and Richard Stilgoe (lyrics with later revisions by Don Black
The Rev. W. Awdry's books: the origins of the series
The stories began in 1942. When Christopher Awdry had measles, his father would tell him stories and rhymes. One of Christopher's favourite rhymes was,
- Early in the morning,
- Down at the station,
- All the little engines
- Standing in a row.
- Along comes the driver,
- Pulls a little lever
- Puff puff, chuff chuff,
- Off we go!
The precise origins of this rhyme are unknown. Wilbert Awdry's answers to Christopher's questions about the rhyme led to the creation of a short story, 'Edward's Day Out'. This told the story of Edward the Blue Engine, an old engine who is allowed out of the shed for a day. Edward the Blue Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Steam locomotive from The Railway Series by Rev W Another story about Edward followed, which this time also featured a character called Gordon the Big Engine, named after a rather bossy child who lived on the same road as Christopher. Gordon the Big Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Tender locomotive in The Railway Series
A third story, 'The Sad Story of Henry', had its origins in a limerick:
- Once an engine attached to a train
- Was afraid of a few drops of rain. A limerick is a five-line Poem with a strict form originally popularized in English by Edward Lear.
- It went into a tunnel
- And squeaked through its funnel
- And never came out again.
As with the previous rhyme, the origins of this are unknown, but research by Brian Sibley suggests that it originated at some point prior to the First World War. Brian Sibley (born July 14, 1949) is an English writer He is author of over 100 hours of radio drama and has written and presented hundreds of radio documentaries World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All This story introduced the popular characters Henry the Green Engine and the Fat Director. Henry the Green Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic 4-6-0 Steam locomotive from The Railway Series books Sir Topham Hatt, (less formally but more commonly referred to as the Fat Controller) is the head of the railway in The Railway Series of books written Encouraged by Margaret, his wife, Wilbert submitted the three stories to Edmund Ward for publication in 1943. The head of the children's books division requested a fourth story to bring the three engines together and redeem Henry, who had been bricked up in a tunnel in the previous story. Although Wilbert had not intended that the three engines live on the same railway, he complied with the request in the story 'Edward, Gordon and Henry'. The four stories were published in 1945 as a single volume, The Three Railway Engines, illustrated by William Middleton. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev
Christmas 1942 saw the genesis of the character that grew to become the most famous locomotive in the world. Wilbert constructed a toy tank engine for Christopher, which gained the name Thomas. A tank locomotive is a Steam locomotive that carries its own fuel and water on it instead of pulling it behind it in a tender. Thomas the Tank Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Tank locomotive created by the Rev Stories about Thomas were requested by Christopher, and 1946 saw the publication of Thomas the Tank Engine. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev (The foreword from this book is used at the beginning of current seasons of Thomas & Friends), This was illustrated by Reginald Payne, whom Wilbert felt to be a great improvement over Middleton. Like its predecessor, this book was a success and Wilbert was asked to write stories about James, a character who first appeared in 'Thomas and the Breakdown Train', the final story in Thomas the Tank Engine. James the Red Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Tender locomotive from The Railway Series of children's books by The book James the Red Engine appeared in 1948, the year in which the railways in Britain were nationalised, and from this point onwards the Fat Director was known by his familiar title of the Fat Controller. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev See also Rail transport in Great Britain, National Rail, Network Rail This article is about the defunct entity "British Railways" Sir Topham Hatt, (less formally but more commonly referred to as the Fat Controller) is the head of the railway in The Railway Series of books written
James the Red Engine was notable as the first book to be illustrated by C. Reginald Dalby, perhaps the most famous of the Railway Series artists, and certainly the most controversial. Dalby illustrated every volume up to Percy the Small Engine (1956), and also produced new illustrations for The Three Railway Engines and made changes to those of Thomas the Tank Engine. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev
Successive books would introduce such popular characters as Annie and Clarabel, Percy the Small Engine and Toby the Tram Engine. In The Railway Series and the related Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, Annie & Clarabel are Thomas's coaches Percy the Small Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic steam engine from The Railway Series of children's books written by the Reverend Wilbert Toby is a Fictional Tram engine from The Railway Series by Rev
In making the stories as real as possible, Awdry took a lot of inspiration from a number of sources in his extensive library, and found the Railway Gazette's 'Scrapheap' column particularly useful as a source of unusual railway incidents that were recreated for the Railway Series characters. Railway Gazette International is a monthly business journal covering the Railway, metro, Light rail and Tram industries worldwide
Rev. Awdry continued working on the Railway Series until 1972, when Tramway Engines (book 26 in the series) was published. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev However, he had been finding it increasingly difficult to come up with ideas for new stories, and after this he felt that "the well had run dry" and so decided that the time had come to retire. He wrote no further Railway Series volumes, but later wrote a spin-off story for the television series Thomas' Christmas Party and expanded versions of some of his earlier stories, as well as The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev In addition, he wrote a number of short stories and articles for Thomas the Tank Engine Annuals. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev
Christopher Awdry's books: the continuation of the series
Christopher Awdry, for whom the stories were first devised, continued writing the stories almost by accident. He was a keen railway enthusiast like his father, and it was on a visit to the Nene Valley Railway that he received the inspiration for his first story. The Nene Valley Railway (NVR is a preserved railway in Cambridgeshire, England, running between Peterborough Nene Valley and Yarwell A railwayman's account of a locomotive running out of steam short of its destination became 'Triple Header', a story in which Thomas, Percy and Duck take on Gordon's Express but find it more than they can handle. Thomas the Tank Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Tank locomotive created by the Rev Percy the Small Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic steam engine from The Railway Series of children's books written by the Reverend Wilbert Duck the Great Western Engine is a Fictional steam engine from The Railway Series by Rev Gordon the Big Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Tender locomotive in The Railway Series Christopher devised three other stories, 'Stop Thief!', 'Mind That Bike' and 'Fish'.
He showed them to his father, who suggested that he submit them for publication, with his blessing. At the time, work on the television adaptation was underway, and so Kaye and Ward (then publishers of the series) were willing to revive the Railway Series. The book Really Useful Engines was published in 1983. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev By coincidence, Rev. W. Awdry had considered this as a title for his own 27th volume before abandoning the project.
Thirteen more books followed, including the series' 50th anniversary volume, Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev A number of stories were also written for the television series, most notably More About Thomas the Tank Engine, the Railway Series' 30th volume. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev
However, Christopher Awdry found himself increasingly coming into conflict with his publishers, which ironically arose through the success of the television series. The television series had made Thomas its central character, and therefore the most well-known of the engines. Consequently, the publishers were increasingly demanding stories that would focus on Thomas at the expense of other characters. As a compromise, volumes appeared that were named after Thomas but did not actually focus upon him. Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines featured only one story about Thomas and Thomas Comes Home did not feature Thomas until the last page. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev
The series' 40th volume, New Little Engine, appeared in 1996. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev The then publisher, Egmont Fleetway, expressed no further interest in publishing new Railway Series books and allowed the existing back catalogue to go out of print.
Despite this setback, in 2005 his own publishing company, Sodor Enterprises, published a book entitled Sodor: Reading Between the Lines. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev This volume expanded the fictional world of Sodor up to the present day and dealt with many of the factual aspects of the series. With this publishing company he also wrote several railway-based children's books, most of which were set on real railways in Britain. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located He continues to promote the original stories and to participate in Railway Series-related events.
Fortunately, for fans of the series, the publishers reviewed their policy and, in 2006, started to re-introduce the books in their original format. After many years of being unavailable, the fourteen books written by Christopher were also re-released, early in August 2007.
Furthermore, Christopher has written a new book, extending the series to 41 volumes. The new book, titled "Thomas and Victoria", addresses issues relating to the railway preservation movement. A heritage railway ( United Kingdom) preserved railway ( United Kingdom) or tourist railroad ( United States and Canada) is a It is illustrated by Clive Spong, and was published on 3 September 2007. Clive Spong is an English illustrator of The Railway Series of children's books by the Revd Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
The Future of the Railway Series
For many years, many of the books in the Railway Series were unavailable to buy in their original format, and the publishers would not publish any new stories. There was a selected print run in 2004 consisting of just The Rev W Awdry's books (1-26), but by 2005, the sixtieth anniversary, there was still disappointment from the Awdry family that all of the stories were not being published in their original format. [1] In August 2007, Christopher Awdry's first fourteen books were reissued, and number 41, Thomas and Victoria was released the following month. An omnibus edition of Christopher Awdry's books including book 41, The New Collection, was released at the same time.
Christopher Awdry has said that he has other material, which he hopes to be published, and at present there are further stories with the publishers. The subject of the stories isn't known, but what is known is that Christopher Awdry has read aloud new stories about the narrow gauge engines on 'Duncan Days' at the Tallylyn Railway in Wales. His book Sodor: Reading Between the Lines updates readers on developments since 1996, some of which could form the basis of stories in future books.
Illustrators
The Railway Series is perhaps as highly regarded for its illustrations as for its writing, which in the immediate post-Second World War era were seen as uniquely vivid and colourful. Indeed, some critics (notably Miles Kington) have claimed that the quality of the illustrations outshines that of the writing. Miles Beresford Kington ( 13 May 1941 &ndash 30 January 2008) was a British Journalist, musician (a double bass player
The first edition of The Three Railway Engines was illustrated by the artist William Middleton, with whom Wilbert Awdry was deeply dissatisfied. The second artist to work on the series was Reginald Payne, who illustrated Thomas the Tank Engine in a far more realistic style. Despite an early disagreement as to how Thomas should look, Awdry was ultimately pleased with the pictures produced.
Payne proved impossible to contact to illustrate James the Red Engine, and so C. Reginald Dalby was hired. Dalby illustrated the next eight books in the series. The Three Railway Engines was reprinted with Dalby's artwork replacing William Middleton's and he also touched up the artwork for the second book. His work on the series proved popular with readers, but not so with the author, who repeatedly clashed with him over issues of accuracy and consistency. Dalby resigned from the series in 1956, following an argument over the portrayal of Percy the Small Engine in the book of the same name. Percy the Small Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic steam engine from The Railway Series of children's books written by the Reverend Wilbert Despite the tempestuous relationship with Awdry, he is probably the best remembered of the series' artists.
The series was taken over from The Eight Famous Engines (1957) by John T. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev Kenney, whose style was less colourful but more realistic than Dalby's. As a result of his commitment to realism and technical accuracy, he enjoyed a far more comfortable working relationship with Awdry, which lasted until Gallant Old Engine (1962), when his eyesight began to fail him. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev
The artist initially chosen to replace him was the Swedish-born artist Gunvor Edwards. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Peter and Gunvor Edwards are English/Swedish illustrators who illustrated several of the The Railway Series books by the Rev She began illustrating Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine, but felt unsuited to the work. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev She was assisted for that volume by her husband Peter, who effectively took over from then on. Both artists retained credit for the work, and the "Edwards era" lasted until Wilbert Awdry's last volume, Tramway Engines. The style used in these volumes was still essentially realistic, but had something of an impressionist feel. Impressionism was a 19th-century Art movement that began as a loose association of Paris -based Artists exhibiting their art publicly in the 1860s
When Christopher Awdry took the series over in 1983, the publisher was keen to find an illustrator who would provide work that was appealing and colourful like Dalby's pictures, but also realistic like the Kenney and Edwards volumes. The artist chosen was Clive Spong. Clive Spong is an English illustrator of The Railway Series of children's books by the Revd He illustrated all of Christopher Awdry's books, a greater number than any other artist working on the Railway Series. He also produced illustrations for a number of spin-off stories written by the Awdrys, and his artwork was used in The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways. A spin-off (or spinoff) is a new Organization or Entity formed by a split from a larger one such as a Television series based on a pre-existing
Format and presentation
The books were produced in an unusual landscape format. Page orientation is the way in which a rectangular Page is oriented for normal viewing Each one was around 60 pages long, 30 of which would be text and 30 illustrations. The books were each divided into four stories (with the exception of Henry the Green Engine, which was divided into five). This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev
Each book from Thomas the Tank Engine onwards opened with a foreword. This would act as a brief introduction to the book, its characters or its themes. They were written as a letter, usually to the readers (addressed as "Dear Friends") but sometimes to individual children who had played some part in the story's creation. The foreword to Thomas the Tank Engine was a letter to Christopher Awdry. This section would often advertise real railways or acknowledge the assistance of people or organisations. The foreword to The Little Old Engine is unique in acknowledging the fact that Skarloey (and, by implication, the entirety of the Railway Series) is fictional. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev
The unusual shape of the books made them instantly recognisable. However, it did prompt complaints from booksellers that they were difficult to display, and even that they could easily be shoplifted. Nonetheless, the format was imitated by publishers Ian Allan for their Sammy the Shunter and Chuffalong books. Sammy the Shunter is a fictitious Steam locomotive created by Eileen Gibb featuring in a series of children's books published in the 1940s and 1950s
Unusually for children's books of the austerity period, the Railway Series was printed in full colour from the start, which is cited by many critics as one of its major selling points in the early days. In Economics, austerity is when a national government reduces its spending in order to pay back Creditors Austerity is usually required when a government's fiscal
The Island of Sodor
The Rev. Sodor is a fictional island in the Irish Sea used as the setting for The Railway Series books by the Rev W. Awdry received numerous letters from young fans asking questions about the engines and their railway, as well as letters concerning inconsistencies within the stories. In an effort to answer these, Wilbert began to develop a specific setting for the books. On a visit to the Isle of Man, he discovered that the bishop there is known as the Bishop of Sodor and Man. The Isle of Man (Ellan Vannin ˈɛlʲən ˈvanɪn or Mann (Mannin) is a self-governing Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea at the geographical A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight The Bishop of Sodor and Man is the Ordinary of the Diocese of Sodor and Man in the Province of York in the Church of England. The "Sodor" part of the title comes from the Sudreys, but Wilbert decided that a fictional island between the Isle of Man and England by that name would be an ideal setting for his stories. Sodor and Man is a Diocese of the Church of England. Originally much larger today it covers just the Isle of Man and its adjacent islets Sodor is a fictional island in the Irish Sea used as the setting for The Railway Series books by the Rev England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland
In partnership with his brother George (the librarian of the National Liberal Club), he gradually devised Sodor's history, geography, language, industries and even geology. The National Liberal Club, known to its members as the NLC, is a London gentlemen's club, now also open to women which was established by William The results were published in the book The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways in 1987. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev
Cameo appearances
Rev. W. Awdry and Christopher Awdry both wrote about Sodor as if it were a real place that they visited, and that the stories were obtained first-hand from the engines and Controllers. This was often "documented" in the foreword to each book. However, in some of Rev. W. Awdry's later books, he made appearances as an actual character. The character was known as the Thin Clergyman and was described as a writer, though his real name and connections to the series were never made explicit.
He was invariably accompanied by the Fat Clergyman, the Reverend "Teddy" Boston,[2] who was a fellow railway enthusiast and close friend. The two Clergymen were portrayed as railway enthusiasts, and were responsible for annoying the Small Engines and discovering Duke the Lost Engine. A railfan or rail buff ( American English) railway enthusiast or railway buff ( Australian / British English) or (often The Arlesdale Railway, more commonly known as the Small Railway is a Fictional Railway on the Island of Sodor from The Railway Series books by The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters They were often figures of fun, liable to be splashed with water or to fall through a roof.
Rev. W. Awdry also appeared in a number of illustrations, usually as a joke on the part of the illustrator. In one illustration by John T. Kenney in Duck and the Diesel Engine he appears with a figure who bears a strong resemblance to C. Reginald Dalby, which Brian Sibley has suggested might be a dig at Dalby's inaccurate rendition of the character of Duck. Brian Sibley (born July 14, 1949) is an English writer He is author of over 100 hours of radio drama and has written and presented hundreds of radio documentaries Duck the Great Western Engine is a Fictional steam engine from The Railway Series by Rev
A vicar appears in Edward the Blue Engine and other volumes as the owner of Trevor the Traction Engine. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev Trevor the Traction Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic character from The Railway Series children's books by the Rev This may be a reference to Teddy Boston, who had himself saved a traction engine from scrap. A traction engine is a self-propelled Steam engine used to move heavy loads on roads plough ground or to provide power at a chosen location
Christopher Awdry never appeared in the books, but would often describe meetings with the engines in the book forewords, usually with some degree of humour.
Other people associated with the Railway Series were also referenced. In Dalby's books, he made allusions to himself twice on store signs (Seen in 'Off the Rails' and 'Saved from Scrap') and a reference to E. T. L. Marriott whom edited the Railway Series, in 'Percy Takes the Plunge' on a 'Ship Chandlers' company sign. Peter Edwards also notes that he based Gordon's face on Eric Marriot's. Gordon the Big Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Tender locomotive in The Railway Series
The Railway Series and British Railways
Developments on British Railways were often mirrored, satirised and even attacked in the Railway Series. See also Rail transport in Great Britain, National Rail, Network Rail This article is about the defunct entity "British Railways" The book Troublesome Engines (1950), for example, dealt with industrial disputes on British Railways. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev As the series went on, comparisons with the real railways of Britain became more explicit, with engines and locations of British Railways (always known as "The Other Railway") making appearances in major or cameo roles. In the children's books The Railway Series, by the Rev W Awdry, The Other Railway refers to British Railways (later British Rail
The most obvious theme relating to British Railways was the decline of steam locomotion and its replacement with diesels. The first real instance of this was in the book Duck and the Diesel Engine (1958) in which an unpleasant diesel shunter arrives, causes trouble and is sent away. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series, by the Rev A switcher or shunter ( Great Britain: shunter; Australia: shunter or yard pilot; USA: switcher (or The 1963 volume Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine explained that steam engines were actually being scrapped to make way for these diesels, and again featured a diesel getting his comeuppance. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev The book Enterprising Engines was published in 1968, the year when steam finally disappeared from British Railways, and was the most aggressive towards dieselisation and Dr Beeching's modernisation plan. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev Dieselisation or Dieselization (see spelling differences) is generally used for the nowadays increasingly common use of Diesel fuel in vehicles as Richard Beeching Baron Beeching ( 21 April 1913 - 23 March 1985) commonly known as Doctor Beeching, was chairman of British The Beeching Axe is an informal name for the British Government 's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system It features yet another arrogant diesel who is sent away, a visit by the real Flying Scotsman locomotive and a steam engine, Oliver, making a daring escape to Sodor. Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series, by the Rev
Thereafter, the books were less critical towards BR. Indeed, by the time of Christopher Awdry's 1984 book James and the Diesel Engines, the series was acknowledging that diesels could, in fact, be useful. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev
The Railway Series and the preservation movement
With the series' popularity and Rev. W. Awdry's interest in railways, it was perhaps inevitable that he would use the books to promote steam railways in the UK. The first instance of this was the creation of the Skarloey Railway, a railway on Sodor that closely resembled the Talyllyn Railway in Wales, of which Rev. On the Fictional Island of Sodor in The Railway Series by Rev The Talyllyn Railway (Rheilffordd Talyllyn is a narrow-gauge preserved railway running for from Tywyn on the Mid-Wales coast to Nant Gwernol W. Awdry was a member. Books focusing on this railway would inevitably include a promotion for the Talyllyn Railway, either in the stories themselves, in a footnote or in the foreword.
From the 1980s onwards, this association was carried further, with the Awdrys permitting the Talyllyn Railway to repaint one of their engines in the guise of its Sodor "twin". The first engine to receive this treatment was their No. 3, Sir Haydn, which was repainted to resemble the character Sir Handel. The second was No. 4, Edward Thomas, which became Peter Sam. In 2006 No. 6, Douglas runs in the guise of Duncan. These characters' appearances have been written into the Railway Series' continuity by Christopher Awdry in the form of visits by the fictional engines to the Talyllyn Railway.
Two other railways on Sodor are directly based on real railways. The Culdee Fell Railway (usually known as the Mountain Railway) is based on the Snowdon Mountain Railway, also in Wales. The Culdee Fell Railway The Snowdon Mountain Railway (SMR ( Welsh: Rheilffordd yr Wyddfa) is a narrow gauge rack and pinion Mountain railway in Gwynedd The Small Railway, more correctly known as the Arlesdale Railway, is based on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway in Cumbria. The Arlesdale Railway, more commonly known as the Small Railway is a Fictional Railway on the Island of Sodor from The Railway Series books by The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway is a narrow gauge Heritage railway in Cumbria, England. Boundaries and divisions Cumbria is neighboured by Northumberland, County Durham, North Yorkshire, Lancashire, and the Lieutenancy Some other lines on Sodor are heavily inspired by real lines. For example, Duke's railway (the Mid Sodor Railway) acknowledges the Ffestiniog Railway and Corris Railway and Duck's branch line (aka the Little Western) bears a resemblance to the South Devon Railway. The Ffestiniog Railway (Rheilffordd Ffestiniog is a narrow gauge Heritage railway, located in North West Wales. The Corris Railway (Welsh Rheilffordd Corris) is a narrow gauge preserved Railway based in Corris on the border between Merionethshire The South Devon Railway Trust is a Charitable organization that operates a Heritage railway from Totnes to Buckfastleigh in Devon,
From Duck and the Diesel Engine onwards, a number of real engines and railways were explicitly featured. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev The characters of Flying Scotsman, City of Truro, Stepney and Wilbert were all real locomotives that made significant appearances in the Railway Series, the latter two having entire volumes dedicated to them, Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine and Wilbert the Forest Engine . The LNER Class A3 Pacific locomotive no 4472 "Flying Scotsman" (originally no Great Western Railway (GWR City Class 4-4-0 Locomotive number 3440 City Of Truro was designed by George Jackson Churchward The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev Wilbert's appearance was of particular significance. The locomotive in question was named in tribute to Rev. W. Awdry, the president of the Dean Forest Railway at the time. The Dean Forest Railway is a 425 mile long Heritage railway that runs between Lydney and Parkend in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire Christopher Awdry wrote Wilbert the Forest Engine in gratitude. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev
Thomas and the Great Railway Show (1991) featured a visit by Thomas to the National Railway Museum in York, along with appearances by several of the real locomotives living there. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev Thomas the Tank Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Tank locomotive created by the Rev The National Railway Museum (NRM is a Museum in York forming part of the British National Museum of Science and Industry and telling At the end of this book, Thomas is made an honorary member of the National Collection. This was mirrored by the real life inclusion of the Railway Series in the National Railway Museum's extensive library of railway books in recognition of their influence on railway preservation.
The latest book, Thomas and Victoria, focuses on the rescue and restoration of a coach. This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev Victoria had been used as a summerhouse in an orchard by the railway, but was rescued by the Fat Controller who then sent her to the works at Crovan's Gate to be restored. There are many fictional locations in The Railway Series of books by Rev She then became part of the vintage train, working with Toby and Henrietta. Toby is a Fictional Tram engine from The Railway Series by Rev Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series, by the Rev The formation of a vintage train is based on the activities by the Furness Railway Trust[3], but coach restoration is common on heritage railways. A heritage railway ( United Kingdom) preserved railway ( United Kingdom) or tourist railroad ( United States and Canada) is a
Characters from The Railway Series
The series has featured numerous characters, both railway-based and otherwise. Some of the more notable ones are:
- Donald and Douglas the Scottish twins
- Annie and Clarabel, Thomas' coaches
For other characters, see:
Books in The Railway Series
The following table lists the titles of all 41 books in The Railway Series. Thomas the Tank Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Tank locomotive created by the Rev Edward the Blue Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Steam locomotive from The Railway Series by Rev W Henry the Green Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic 4-6-0 Steam locomotive from The Railway Series books Gordon the Big Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Tender locomotive in The Railway Series James the Red Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Tender locomotive from The Railway Series of children's books by Percy the Small Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic steam engine from The Railway Series of children's books written by the Reverend Wilbert Toby is a Fictional Tram engine from The Railway Series by Rev Duck the Great Western Engine is a Fictional steam engine from The Railway Series by Rev Donald and Douglas are fictional Steam locomotives from The Railway Series by W Trevor the Traction Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic character from The Railway Series children's books by the Rev Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series, by the Rev Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series, by the Rev Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series, by the Rev Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series, by the Rev Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series, by the Rev In The Railway Series and the related Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, Annie & Clarabel are Thomas's coaches Sir Topham Hatt, (less formally but more commonly referred to as the Fat Controller) is the head of the railway in The Railway Series of books written Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series, by the Rev The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters In the children's books The Railway Series, by the Rev W Awdry, The Other Railway refers to British Railways (later British Rail This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev
Books 01 - 26 were written by Rev. W. Awdry. Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE, ( 15 June 1911 &ndash 21 March 1997) better known as the Reverend W
Books 27 - 41 were written by Christopher Awdry. Christopher Awdry (born 1940 is a British Author best known for his contributions to The Railway Series of books featuring Thomas the Tank Engine
| Vol. | Title | Year | First Appearance by Characters: | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Books written by Rev. W. Awdry | |||||
| 1 | The Three Railway Engines | 1945 | Edward, Gordon, Henry (pre-rebuild), Fat Director | ||
| 2 | Thomas the Tank Engine | 1946 | Thomas, James | ||
| 3 | James the Red Engine | 1948 | Fat Controller (his title after Nationalisation) | ||
| 4 | Tank Engine Thomas Again | 1949 | Annie and Clarabel, Terence the Tractor, Bertie the Bus | ||
| 5 | Troublesome Engines | 1950 | Percy | ||
| 6 | Henry the Green Engine | 1951 | Henry (Mk 2) (post-rebuild) | ||
| 7 | Toby the Tram Engine | 1952 | Toby, Henrietta the Coach | ||
| 8 | Gordon the Big Engine | 1953 | |||
| 9 | Edward the Blue Engine | 1954 | Trevor the Traction Engine | ||
| 10 | Four Little Engines | 1955 | Skarloey, Rheneas, Sir Handel, Peter Sam, Thin Controller |
||
| 11 | Percy the Small Engine | 1956 | Duck, Harold the Helicopter | ||
| 12 | The Eight Famous Engines | 1957 | The Foreign Engine, Jinty and Pug | ||
| 13 | Duck and the Diesel Engine | 1958 | City of Truro, Diesel | ||
| 14 | The Little Old Engine | 1959 | Rusty the diesel, Duncan |
||
| 15 | The Twin Engines | 1960 | Donald and Douglas, Spiteful Brake Van | ||
| 16 | Branch Line Engines | 1961 | Daisy the Diesel Rail-Car | ||
| 17 | Gallant Old Engine | 1962 | George the Steamroller, Nancy the Guard's Daughter | ||
| 18 | Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine | 1963 | Stepney, Caroline the car, The Diesel/D4711 | ||
| 19 | Mountain Engines | 1964 | Culdee, Ernest, Wilfred, Godred, Lord Harry,
Alaric, Eric, Catherine (coach), The Truck, |
||
| 20 | Very Old Engines | 1965 | Neil | ||
| 21 | Main Line Engines | 1966 | BoCo, Bill and Ben | ||
| 22 | Small Railway Engines | 1967 | Mike, Rex, Bert, Ballast Spreader | ||
| 23 | Enterprising Engines | 1968 | Flying Scotsman, D199 (Spamcan), Bear | ||
| 24 | Oliver the Western Engine | 1969 | S.C.Ruffey, Fred Pelhay, Bulgy | ||
| 25 | Duke the Lost Engine | 1970 | Duke, Falcon, Stuart, Stanley | ||
| 26 | Tramway Engines | 1972 | Mavis | ||
| Books written by Christopher Awdry | |||||
| 27 | Really Useful Engines | 1983 | Tom Tipper (postman) | ||
| 28 | James and the Diesel Engines | 1984 | Old Stuck-up, The Works Diesel | ||
| 29 | Great Little Engines | 1985 | |||
| 30 | More About Thomas the Tank Engine | 1986 | |||
| 31 | Gordon the High-Speed Engine | 1987 | Pip & Emma, 31 120, D10751 | ||
| 32 | Toby, Trucks and Trouble | 1988 | The Old Engine, Bulstrode | ||
| 33 | Thomas and the Twins | 1989 | |||
| 34 | Jock the New Engine | 1990 | Arlesdale Railway engines: Frank, Jock | ||
| 35 | Thomas and the Great Railway Show | 1991 | Engines at the National Railway Museum | ||
| 36 | Thomas Comes Home | 1992 | |||
| 37 | Henry and the Express | 1993 | |||
| 38 | Wilbert the Forest Engine | 1994 | Wilbert, Sixteen | ||
| 39 | Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines | 1995 | |||
| 40 | New Little Engine | 1996 | Fred, Kathy & Lizzie (cleaners), Ivo Hugh | ||
| 41 | Thomas and Victoria | 2007 | Victoria (a coach), Helena (a coach similar to Victoria), Albert | ||
Criticism of Thomas
Some commentators have criticised the Railway Series as representing values more relevant to the 1940s and 1950s, when Awdry invented the characters, than to the 21st Century. Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE, ( 15 June 1911 &ndash 21 March 1997) better known as the Reverend W Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Edward the Blue Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Steam locomotive from The Railway Series by Rev W Gordon the Big Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Tender locomotive in The Railway Series Henry the Green Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic 4-6-0 Steam locomotive from The Railway Series books Sir Topham Hatt, (less formally but more commonly referred to as the Fat Controller) is the head of the railway in The Railway Series of books written Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Thomas the Tank Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Tank locomotive created by the Rev James the Red Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Tender locomotive from The Railway Series of children's books by Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Sir Topham Hatt, (less formally but more commonly referred to as the Fat Controller) is the head of the railway in The Railway Series of books written See also Rail transport in Great Britain, National Rail, Network Rail This article is about the defunct entity "British Railways" Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In The Railway Series and the related Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, Annie & Clarabel are Thomas's coaches Terence is a fictional Anthropomorphic crawler Tractor from The Railway Series of children's books by the Rev Bertie is a small red Bus who appears in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Percy the Small Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic steam engine from The Railway Series of children's books written by the Reverend Wilbert Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January Henry the Green Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic 4-6-0 Steam locomotive from The Railway Series books Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Toby is a Fictional Tram engine from The Railway Series by Rev Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series, by the Rev Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) Trevor the Traction Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic character from The Railway Series children's books by the Rev Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) Skarloey is a Fictional Locomotive from The Railway Series by Rev Rheneas is a Fictional Locomotive from The Railway Series by Rev There is no verifiable information about Season 12 13 or later available at present Peter Sam is a fictional Locomotive from The Railway Series by Rev The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters On the Fictional Island of Sodor in The Railway Series by Rev The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Duck the Great Western Engine is a Fictional steam engine from The Railway Series by Rev Harold the Helicopter is a character in The Railway Series books by the Rev Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) In the children's books The Railway Series, by the Rev W Awdry, The Other Railway refers to British Railways (later British Rail In the children's books The Railway Series, by the Rev W Awdry, The Other Railway refers to British Railways (later British Rail Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters In the children's books The Railway Series, by the Rev W Awdry, The Other Railway refers to British Railways (later British Rail The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series, by the Rev Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series, by the Rev On the Fictional Island of Sodor in The Railway Series by Rev Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Donald and Douglas are fictional Steam locomotives from The Railway Series by W The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series, by the Rev Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters In the children's books The Railway Series, by the Rev W Awdry, The Other Railway refers to British Railways (later British Rail Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. The Culdee Fell Railway The Culdee Fell Railway The Culdee Fell Railway The Culdee Fell Railway The Culdee Fell Railway The Culdee Fell Railway The Culdee Fell Railway The Culdee Fell Railway The Culdee Fell Railway The Culdee Fell Railway The Culdee Fell Railway Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. The Sodor & Mainland Railway (1853 - 1914 is a fictional railway that existed on the Island of Sodor in The Railway Series books written by the Rev Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series, by the Rev Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series, by the Rev Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. The Arlesdale Railway, more commonly known as the Small Railway is a Fictional Railway on the Island of Sodor from The Railway Series books by The Arlesdale Railway, more commonly known as the Small Railway is a Fictional Railway on the Island of Sodor from The Railway Series books by The Arlesdale Railway, more commonly known as the Small Railway is a Fictional Railway on the Island of Sodor from The Railway Series books by The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters In the children's books The Railway Series, by the Rev W Awdry, The Other Railway refers to British Railways (later British Rail In the children's books The Railway Series, by the Rev W Awdry, The Other Railway refers to British Railways (later British Rail Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series, by the Rev The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Mid Sodor Railway is a fictional narrow gauge Railway on the Island of Sodor in The Railway Series of children's books by the Rev The Mid Sodor Railway is a fictional narrow gauge Railway on the Island of Sodor in The Railway Series of children's books by the Rev The Mid Sodor Railway is a fictional narrow gauge Railway on the Island of Sodor in The Railway Series of children's books by the Rev The Mid Sodor Railway is a fictional narrow gauge Railway on the Island of Sodor in The Railway Series of children's books by the Rev Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series, by the Rev Christopher Awdry (born 1940 is a British Author best known for his contributions to The Railway Series of books featuring Thomas the Tank Engine Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) In the children's books The Railway Series, by the Rev W Awdry, The Other Railway refers to British Railways (later British Rail In the children's books The Railway Series, by the Rev W Awdry, The Other Railway refers to British Railways (later British Rail Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) In the children's books The Railway Series, by the Rev W Awdry, The Other Railway refers to British Railways (later British Rail Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) The Arlesdale Railway, more commonly known as the Small Railway is a Fictional Railway on the Island of Sodor from The Railway Series books by The Arlesdale Railway, more commonly known as the Small Railway is a Fictional Railway on the Island of Sodor from The Railway Series books by The Arlesdale Railway, more commonly known as the Small Railway is a Fictional Railway on the Island of Sodor from The Railway Series books by Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters The Railway Series by Reverend WV Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. In their book "Train Tracks: Work, Play and Politics on the Railways"[3], Gillian Reynolds and Gayle Letherby criticised the race, gender and class politics of the stories. In a critique of Letherby and Reynolds's work in The Guardian, Ian Jack wrote: "The stories themselves are plain little things, with jerky sentences that are hard to read aloud with much parental conviction, and four basic plot lines: Troublesome Trucks, Proud Engine Gets His Comeuppance, Small Engine Shows His Worth, New Engine Is Shunned (And Then Wins Friends)"[4]. The Guardian (until 1959 The Manchester Guardian) is a British Newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. A spoof of the series posted on the internet objects to the values the story promotes, ie. that the hard working engines are good or bad according to whether they are "really useful" to the "Fat Controller". [5].
References in popular culture
Satirical magazine Private Eye produced a book Thomas the Privatised Tank Engine, written in the style of The Railway Series. Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical Magazine, edited by Ian Hislop. The Privatisation of British Rail was the result of the Railways Act 1993 introduced by John Major 's Conservative government The stories were strongly critical of private railway companies and the Government of John Major, and covered subjects such as the Channel Tunnel, London Underground, transport of radioactive waste and the perceived dangerous state of the railways. Sir John Major KG CH ACIB (born 29 March 1943 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The Channel Tunnel (Le tunnel sous la Manche also known as the Chunnel, is a undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent in England with The London Underground is a Metro system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire Radioactive wastes are Waste types containing radioactive Chemical elements that do not have a practical purpose
References
- ^ Mansfield, Susan Steaming ahead for six decades, 2005-05-06, The Scotsman. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance. The Scotsman is a Scottish national Newspaper, published in Edinburgh. Retrieved on 2007-08-08. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula.
- ^ Teddy Boston - the Fat Clergyman
- ^ Gayle, Letherby; Gillian Reynolds. 'Train Tracks: Work, Play and Politics on the Railways'. (includes photos of adverts for card models). Beg. Retrieved on 2007-05-09. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1457 BC - Battle of Megiddo (15th century BC between Thutmose III and a large Canaanite coalition under the King of
- ^ Ian Jack on Letherby and Reynolds, Guardian, June 18,2005[1]
- ^ Internet spoof of Thomas the Tank Engine stories "The Really Revolutionary Engine" [2]
External links
- List of The Railway Series books (in Portable Document Format).
- The Real Lives of Thomas the Tank Engine - documents real influences behind the series
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